Hollywood’s Creative Foundation Begins to Crumble

Harmony Korine, puffing a cigar and accompanied by an artistic collaborator in a neon ski mask, brought his signature antic energy to Italy’s Venice Film Festival on Saturday. He discussed his latest art film inspired by video games, Baby Invasion.

The project, which Korine emphasized is not really a “film,” follows a group of mercenaries called “the Duck Squad.” They loot mansions at gunpoint while wearing baby faces as digital avatars to conceal their identities. The 80-minute visual experience resembles a first-person shooter game and is set to premiere at Venice’s historic Sala Grande cinema just before midnight on Saturday.

During a wide-ranging and sometimes deliberately incoherent press conference, Korine shared insights into how his Miami-based art collective EDGLRD operates and took a few jabs at what he views as the declining traditional film industry. “I’m not really even thinking about movies anymore; it’s more kind of experiences,” Korine said. “And one thing I would say to anyone that listens is that Hollywood needs to encourage the youth, the kids. Because Hollywood is starting to crumble.”

“They’re losing a lot of the most talented and creative minds to gaming, to live-streamers like IShowSpeed,” he added. “They’re so locked in on convention, and then all those kids that are so creative are now just going to find other outlets and go other places because movies are no longer the dominant art form.”

Korine elaborated that “nothing is linear anymore” and that he believes “film will just stagnate and be just huge IP, or just this kind of very rarified experience.” He also lauded YouTube streamer IShowSpeed, calling him “the new Tarkovsky.”

Discussing the construction of Baby Invasion, Korine explained that the “base layer” of the art film is security camera footage of home invaders. He mentioned that the “actors” he filmed were real-life burglars he had cast after they were arrested for robbing the homes of some of his friends in Miami. Other elements were then added to the footage by a team of game designers and digital artists associated with his design collective. The film’s score was composed by British electronic musician Burial, whom Korine has only communicated with over Discord and Sony PlayStation. The narrator of the film is a woman Korine discovered on OnlyFans for her ASMR-quality voice.

Korine hasn’t decided how the project will be released yet, but shared that the version of Baby Invasion being shown in Venice is only the “base layer” of what the project will become. Ultimately, viewers will be able to enter and unlock five or six more sub-worlds, or additional film/game-like layers, within the experience.

Korine debuted his new experimental direction in film and art-making at Venice last year with the world premiere of the psychedelic hit-man art film AGGRO DR1FT, featuring Travis Scott and Spanish actor Jordi Mollà. When asked why he chose to exhibit that film in strip clubs rather than a more conventional release, Korine replied, “Yeah. I just thought it’d be cool. It was nice going to the strip clubs—and you know, it just felt like the right time to hit it.”

Korine’s approach to art and filmmaking continues to challenge traditional norms, pushing the boundaries of what visual storytelling can be. His work reflects a blend of reality and virtual experiences, creating unique narratives that engage a new generation of viewers.

As Hollywood grapples with its future, voices like Korine’s highlight the evolving landscape of entertainment, where art, technology, and gaming intersect. It’s a testament to how the mediums of storytelling are transforming in the digital age, driven by unconventional visionaries willing to explore uncharted territories.

Source: Particle News